


Coming Home ( Part 2) Dressing for me

by PhenomenalBrat



Series: COMING HOME [2]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alex Danvers mentioned - Freeform, Coming Out, Court decisions about Trans rights, Dinner, F/M, Flashbacks, Kara Danvers mentioned - Freeform, Kelly Olsen Mentioned, LGBT, Lena Luthor Mentioned - Freeform, Nia makes a moral decision, Puberty blockers, Social Commentary, Store robbery, trans female characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 20:07:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28551357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhenomenalBrat/pseuds/PhenomenalBrat
Summary: In the wake of a painful court decision,  Nia finds herself attempting to foil a robbery only to be face with a complex moral delima from a desperate Transgender teenage. Nia reminiscent about her own life as she struggles with a decision between what is right and following the law.
Relationships: Querl Dox/Nia Nal
Series: COMING HOME [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2090922
Kudos: 7





	Coming Home ( Part 2) Dressing for me

**Author's Note:**

> Authors notes: This is an exploration of how being a hero can end up heavily clashing with a person's own feelings and morals or opinion. It then becomes a clash of what the law says versus what is morally right. This can manifest in very real but also ridiculous ways.
> 
> Author's notes 2: Nia is a girls' name of Gaelic and Swahili origins. It means, Lustrous, Goal, purpose. It has also been known to mean Brilliance, and Resolve as well. Nea is also a variation of Nia.

The broken glass from the shattered Window to the pharmacy. Littered the ground around me. The alarm had just gone off when I was only about 3 blocks away. Figuring that I had about an hour before my date at  _ 'Chez Frei ' _ with Brainy, was about to start so I could definitely apprehend a random robber. This should have been a piece of cake. 

As I crossed the threshold over the busted window Into the pharmacy, I expected a fight. What I found instead was the sound of crying, or rather sobbing really. It was coming from behind the counter where all the prescription drugs were.

"Hello!" I spoke loudly. The sound of the crying, and sobbing continued as I made my way over, already charging my glove with dream energy just in case. "It's over. Put whatever you were-"

I rounded the corner to see a woman or rather, a girl as she could not have been older than 16, kneeling on the ground. Her skin was a warm almond brown hue, that for some reason reminded me of Kelly. She wore a black sweatshirt and sweatpants. Her dark black hair was swept to one side. It fell over her shoulder. She was shaking as she looked up from a bottle she clutched in her hands and saw me.

"Dreamer." She whispered my Superhero name with something that sounded like awe or even reverence.

I looked down to see what she had in her hands. It was a prescription bottle of apalutimide; I knew exactly what that was. I'd seen that particular antiandrogen before. "What-"

"Please...please I- I have-" the girl looked me in the eye. "I have to have it!" She sounded like she was begging. 

My heart twisted in my gut. I understood all too well what her distress was. 8 weeks ago the a court case that had been out of the main stream limelight and quietly brewing had ruined the lives of hundred or thousands of people in the city most likely.

**. . . .**

**(8 weeks ago)**

_ I stared at the screen as the news woman spoke. Each word made me more and more depressed. I couldn't believe this. _

_ "Nia-" Brainy tried to get my attention, obviously wanting to save me the hassle of watching this. I moved closer to him on the couch, but otherwise continued with watching the screen.  _

_ "Sufficient to say, this ruling marks a land mark victory in the effort to protect vulnerable young people from the effects of decisions they can not understand. The lasting effects of these body altering drugs had been a concern that many parents- " The News woman continued to ramble. _

_ "THAT'S NOT EVEN REMOTELY TRUE!" I yelled at the TV screen without even thinking. _

_ "Trueman industry will no longer be able to distribute-" The anchor woman continued. _

_ I looked over at the Brainy he was partly watching the TV and Partly watching me. _

_ "Katherine Fields is one of a hand full of women in the process of detransitioning who says she was compelled to undergo, what she calls a mutilation of her body when doctors diagnosed her as dysphoric and prescribed medications to her as a 15 year old. Fields now identifies as a lesb-" _

_ I flipped off the TV sitting back. Brainy pulled me into a hug. I could already see the ways in which this was gonna go wrong. I just closed my eyes to think though.  _

**. . . .**

**( Present)**

The stark picture of exactly what I had feared would happen, stared back at me; young, vulnerable and desperate.

"I'll die...I-I'll die without it."

I knew that as a superhero, my job was to enforce the law...but what was law enforcement, when it was enforcing a moral failing. When the government forces people into desperation, then how could anyone possibly stop themselves from acting desperately and Criminally in response. " Hey. What's your name?"

"Na-Natalie." The kid's tone sounded defeated and rescind as she spoke.

I thought about my works carefully, knowing that at this moment of vulnerability for this kid, whatever I said next would impact her entire life. "Natalie, listen to me. I know the new Fields/Trueman law has made things hard."

Natalie looked down at the bottle in her hands. "It's not...it's not fair. I followed every-I followed every rule. I did everything right. How can they just-" She didn't seem surprised at all by how quickly I had put 2 and 2 together.

"Natalie, I- you're right. It's not fair. You deserve to make your own choice." I knelt down next to the kid on the floor, waiting to seem less intimidating and more like a friend."

"How did you-?"

"A long time ago." I already could sense the direction her question was going. I thanked God internally that I had had such peace when transitioning; my family had been my anchor even if that anchor had eventually broken. "Years ago…"

**. . . .**

**_( 15 years ago)_ **

**_Author's notes: Obviously Nia doesn't tell Natalie her real name though. Trigger warning for mild dead naming._ **

_ I stood, staring at myself in the mirror. At only 6 years old I had this very vivid sense of myself; it was a picture of who I was...and who I wasn't. Today was the day. I had begged and conjuled mom and Dad and my sister to sit on the couch downstairs for my big "presentation". _

_ "David!" My Dad called from down stairs.  _

_ Part of me internally cringed. I knew she didn't mean to, but I felt thrown off when people called me things like 'Son' or 'David' too. It was like being offered clothes that did not fit or laying uncomfortable in a bed that was too soft of too hard. I simply never felt at home in those descriptions.  _

_ I had begun playing this game in my mind with myself. I would lay in bed thinking of different things, I might be and names I might have. My friend Natalie, in my class, quite possibly my best friend had said I was a spark, like I inspired brilliant ideas, or perhaps she meant that I was a brilliant idea myself. I guess it was that got me thinking. I needed something that was me; something like a name I could call myself. I needed to be new. _

_ My sister had introduced me to this movie, called "The Matrix" a few weeks ago. It was a few years old already but I was blown away. Something about the idea of being someone and no one seeing who you are until you decide to step out on a limb. I felt like I was Neo...except I wasn't him. I was me. I guess perhaps I had concluded that if I were Neo, then I'd really be, well...Nea. Neo, Nea...Nia…that's what I started calling myself in my head. It resonated with every part of who I was. It sounded like I had simply remembered something that I had forgotten. I had tried the whole boy thing. I had tried to be David, but it had felt like a costume.  _

_ I looked myself over in the mirror. I had taken one of Maeve's old skirts and a little sweater that she had worn on her first day in 2nd grade when she was my age. It fit perfectly. I like the ruffley purple skirt and little white sweater. It felt like me. I felt nervous though. I imagined I was like Neo after he took that red pill and he wasn't sure what was happening.  _

**. . . .**

_ I stepped out of my room and headed towards the stairs. There was this energy in the air. I could feel it as I walked down the stairs. I got to the bottom and walked into the Den. Maeve was sitting on the lazy boy recliner chair. Mom and Dad were on the couch. Dad was sipping his usual tea out of a cup. Mom was looking at a drawing in a book and Nodding. _

_ Dad looked up at me as I entered. "What's this presentation so-" He paused as he took in my appearance. There was clear confusion in his eyes but no anger or distress. Mom...mom just looked at me smiling. She didn't appear confused or surprised at all. _

_ "Wha-" Maeve started to speak.  _

_ "My Nia is here." My mom whispered it into the air. There's no words to describe how warm those words made me feel. _

_ "Dad, mom...Maeve," I took a deep breath, before continuing, " I- I tried the whole boy thing. I'm- I just know it's- that's not for me." As I spoke, mom was nodding. She held Dad's hand, giving a calming squeeze that I noticed. "I-can I be-" I tried to think of the right words.  _

_ "Sweetie. You can be anything...anything and we will always love you." _

_ "Can I be Nia?" _

_ Maeve got off her seat, coming over to hug me. "You look cute in my 'hand- me-downs."  _

_ Dad looked over at me and Maeve. "Nia." _

_ "My girls…" It was so easy and affirming. It was like mom had always known who I was and had been waiting for me to speak it out loud. _

**. . . .**

**(Present)**

"I had it alot easier," I stated simply.

"Please just let me go. I-"

The sound of sirens headed this direction started to reach my ears. "Listen-"

"I know you're a superhero and you have to do the right thing-"

What even was the right thing in this case? Everything felt so wrong. That was it though. Could I put my feelings ahead of the law? It seemed like quite often everyone else did.

"Listen-"

"I was already on it. I had been medicating and safe for years...since I was 12." Natalie starred off into space for a moment as she spoke. " They- how could they just take it- take everything- "She leaned forward and I pulled her into a hug while letting her head rest on my shoulder. 

"Natalie, I'm so sorry."

"They treat us like we are mistakes."

I was hit with a stark memory of a conversation I had once had with Cat Grant while interning in DC. Natalie needed to hear exactly what I had needed to hear then.

**. . . .**

**(2 ½ years ago) -Washington DC**

_ I rushed down the hall towards Miss Grant's office. Karleen Pence was right on my heels behind me. She held the evidence of my failure in her hands in the form of a silk white blouse stained with red wine. I was giving every ounce of poise and skill I had to get to Miss Grant before her. Unfortunately, I had never been particularly athletic and the heeled boots I wore were not helping. _

_ I tripped over my heel and fell down. I was thankful I had on the black tights, that mom had given me for Christmas so my bare skin did suffer too much. Karleen raced right past me not even attempting to help me. I picked myself and followed after while dusting myself off. _

_ When I entered the room, Karleen was holding the shirt up. "...and it's become clear that this klutz was a mistake, a failure! Miss Grant please it's-" _

_ "That was an accident. " I spoke up from where I stood.  _

_ Miss Grant looked over at me. I'm sure I looked a mess right then, especially in comparison to the flawless up do and clean pleated skirts and white blouse that Karleen wore. Miss Grant wasn't even looking at Karleen though. "Kiera-" _

_ "Uhm...its Nia maam-" _

_ "Please don't call me maam. It makes me sound old."  _

**_Trigger warning: There's a bit of a rather vicious semi public "outting" or attempted "outting" more or less coming up, as well as some covert transphobia directed at Nia._ **

****

_ I looked down at my shoes, feeling nervous and out of my depth. " I made a slight mistake earlier, Miss Grant. I've already arranged for a new blouse to be brought over for your meeting in an hour though." _

_ "You didn't make a mistake, you are a mistake." Karleen commented as she looked over at me. _

_ "Karleen-" _

_ "Miss Grant this Klutz is useless." Karleen looked back over at Miss Grant. Karleen had never really liked me.  _

_ Miss Grant looked between Karleen and I. She wasn't intervening at that moment. "I'm not useless. I just-" _

_ "It's bad enough that this -" She gestured at me, " -Got the internship that Selena should have gotten." She looked me over with this clear, 'I got you expression,' "but if they aren't gonna hire real women, they could at least hire competence." _

_ I froze at what she had said as it registered. "Karleen-" I tried to stop her.  _

_ "I did some digging and this idiot isn't even-" _

_ "That will be all Karleen." Miss Grant spoke up. _

_ "But-" _

_ "You are dismissed. " _

_ My heart was racing intensely as I stood there. It was taking my brain a second to process things as Karleen stomped out the door and closed it behind her. Silence hung in the air for a moment before I tried to clear it. "Miss Grant, I'm-" _

_ "I'm a person who prides myself on being an exceptional judge of people's qualities and characteristics. " Cat was pretty calm as she spoke. _

_ "I know ma- Miss Grant. I read your book. I'm-" _

_ "That's why I'm so disappointed-" _

_ "I'm sorry. " _

_ "-in Miss Pence." _

_ "Miss Grant?" _

_ "People make mistakes. I simply expect punctual action in fixing those mistakes." She eyed some paperwork on her desk. "You did that." _

_ "Yes Miss Grant."  _

_ "Good." She looked me over. "Oh one more thing, Miss Nal." I read the article you wanted to submit to the white house blog." _

_ "Oh?" _

_ "Your talents are wasted here." _

_ I smiled, feeling surprised at the praise from Miss Grant. "I- thank you." _

_ She nodded and I took that as a sign that I was dismissed. "Miss Nal?" _

_ "Yes." _

_ "You should make it clear to Miss Pence that she is never to call you a 'mistake' again I should think. People only say that when they fear your potential. " _

_ Relief was the only word to describe that moment. I nodded, accepting the words of wisdom from Cat. _

_ "Don't forget to have my new blouse ready on time too Kiera. " _

_ I didn't even bother correcting that name slippage as I headed out. _

**. . . .**

**(Present)**

"The world only tries to make us feel that way because they fear our potential. You're not a mistake."

Natalie relaxed into my hug and sighed. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

The sound of sirens was nearly right on top of us; it was probably just a few minutes out. I exhaled. "Run through the back exit. " I placed the bottle back in the kids hand. I needed to leave it up to her.

"Dreamer-"

I released Natalie fully from the hug and let her run. She headed out the back. I looked over at the camera blinking on the side wall. She hadn't noticed it when she desperately broke in. I sent a small blast towards it and knocked it and the connected tape out. I was gonna have to explain that one to the team later. 

Once I was finished, I walked towards the front. There were already two cop cars in front as I jumped out through the busted window.

"Dreamer!" One of the cops, a short and rather robust looking white man, yelled my name.

I had already begun to spin an explanation in my head as they approached.

**. . . .**

**(60 minutes later)**

Brainy held me close to him as we sat in the out door eating area. Our seats overlooked the water. There was a wine bottle on the table and two glasses of Wine already poured as we waited for the main course and Appetizers. 

"...so I let her go." I finished explaining the whole situation to Brainy. 

He nodded quietly before leaning over to kiss the side of my head. "You followed your heart."

"I broke the law." I admitted the stark truth out loud.

Brainy chuckles. "Earlier today at the WatchTower, Alex had me hack the pentagon to gain access to hidden information related to project Shadow."

I looked over at him not even feeling shock. "Oh?"

"Kara and Lena helped. "

"Nothing new there." I joked. Brainy laughed a little.

"Exactly. We technically broke the law but did the right thing. It seems like over the last few years, that's all any of us does."

"So your saying-"

"I'm saying, you did nothing wrong. You are a hero."

"Thank you." I sighed as I relaxed.

"There was an 83% chance that was the right thing to say." He quipped.

I loved this nerd. He was my perfect match; the answers to my moral questions were so often filled by him. " You guessed right."

The waiter finally came back with our appetizers. He sat a platter of 12 piece calamari on the table before nodding.

"I'll be back shortly to bring the main course." He was crisp and polite as he informed us of this before leaving.

"I hope I didn't make a mistake, is all." I admitted as I reached for the calamari.

"Nia, you have to have more faith in your judgment. Your potential is limitless. That's one of the things that I love about you."

"When you put it that way-"

"That new medical restriction shouldn't exist anyways. I know how you feel about it."

"Thanks for being on my side. 

"Always. "

As the sunset over the water created a beautiful glow on the water, I spared a moment to wonder about Natalie. Somehow I felt assured by my choice, exactly the right choice for me...how could I do anything else? That was what Brainy loved about me after all. And even above all that it was just me, what I had long ago figured out I liked about me. Sometimes I was the best kind of hero when I was choosing, speaking or fighting or dressing for myself. That was the dream, at least...

**FIN**

Thank you for reading. Please leave Questions, comments, constructive criticism or Kudos.

**Author's Note:**

> Author's notes: There's a lot of legal back and forth currently happening with regards to Trans-gender teens and children and hormones, blockers and surgical intervention. One school of thought is that the intervention is to protect kids from "irreversible bodily changes" that they don't fully understand. Another school of thought is that Trans Children and teens are being done a disservice when denied access to hormones, and validation that lines up with their gender identity. I very much feel Nia would aligned with the second ideology. I would like to say, though that I don't consider myself an expert on the subject to the point were I should comment on it outside the realm of fanfic.
> 
> Author's notes: I did communicate with Transgender friends before creating this piece. I hope what's been written works for everyone reading. The decision of whether to have Nia apprehend this kid or let Natalie go, was weighed heavily back and forth. I know that's technically an illegal thing to do and I definitely was concerned how anyone reading would take that choice. I'm hopeful that Nia comes off on character and that her decision at least feels relatable and fair to the trans audience reading. Thanks to everyone who gave feed back to help me put this together.
> 
> -BJ


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